On another note...
Lately I've been noticing how hilarious it is when people SLAM other people for things they do(I've witnessed this on facebook especially where it is TOO easy to say things that you wouldn't say in person... know this from experience) and then think adding a smiley face at the end somehow makes it funny or okay?? Being straightforward or keeping your mouth shut is much more appreciated and doesn't make you look so silly. As you judge, so you will be judged... placing personal expectation and judgement on unimportant things that others do is SO not living in true love of them and who they are as an individual.
Sometimes I am just a little weirded out by people I see walking down the street. I am not against them walking down the street doing their own thing and I completely understand that some people are just “different” or don’t have normal physical control over their body or brain, thus over what they do. I have no problem with that.... that being said it still just makes me wonder sometimes how safe they really are to be out on their own or what must be going through their head-like when I see a lady carrying a baby doll wrapped in a blanket and a play stroller down the street, then later see her walking again only this time placing the doll in the stroller and covering it with said blanket to keep the sun out of it’s fake eyes... Just strange. Was she for real or was it just bad timing for me to drive-by at that moment?
But then again, we are all strange in our own way... so like I've said, no judgement placing from me, just observing. Little ol’ observant me doing what I do best and saying writing out what’s running through my {different} little head.
Enough ranting...
WE are gearing up for W day around here... wedding bells will be ringing in 10 days!!! We are all so completely excited but none of us quite so much as the gorgeous bride, my sister, Janna. She has been longing for this day her whole life and after years of waiting has found the love of her life... My heart is filled with happiness for her and her beloved. We can not wait for the beautiful time to come! My son can't wait to be a ring "bear" and my oldest
We have started the 2010-11 homeschool year here at our house and it is going absolutely swimmingly. No, no more floods, just a figure of speech...
Ahem...
We are all optimistic and excited to learn and see new things, begin a fabulous fall routine and become busy humbly serving and praising the Lord in all areas of our work and servitude. Some of the extra curricular activities(which I believe are almost more important than mere bookwork because you learn life lessons, how to relate and treat others, actually tangibly get your hands on what you are studying etc.) we will be attempting to be involved in again this year are: Upwords basketball, singing hymns with wonderful folks at our local assisted living facility, gymnastics, field trips, delving into entomology, painting, watching the NFL(that counts, right???), running races, AWANA, Writing handwritten letters to distant family members, dabbling in zoology, helping neighbors, picking up neighborhood trash, music lessons, trips to the library, Pizza Hut Book-It program and many, many field trips to local businesses and attractions.
Is everyone as organized, dogmatic and meticulous about scheduling, making lists, having a place for everything and for everything to have it's place?
Hmmmmm....
I would love to know how do YOU keep thoughts, to-do's and activities organized without feeling overwhelmed?
My husband is a dear heart. He is a man who truly runs after God's heart with every ounce of his being. I completely adore him. Marriage just keeps getting better and better! He has joyously decided that staying home in the morning until 9am and working later, until 6pm, is a needed and a good change for our family(he used to go in at 7:45am) That way, we can start our day off as a family singing, reading the Bible and praying together. It is a welcome change, a long awaited remedy to our sometimes stressful rushed mornings.
It's been almost 4 weeks since our little basement flood and as of now, our house is essentially back in sane working order. Soon I will post some pictures of our newly re-renovated basement! It's good to be home. I {heart} walking through our door into the lovely warmth of my husband's and kid's comforting embrace... I am so blessed!
On our first day back in the books, we had a creative back to school project. My kids we're absolutely bubbling over in elation about it! They each were able to paint and embellish a T-shirt of their very own. We have been having so much fun this week getting back into whipping our brains into shape. Here are some telltale pics
Our Internet has been acting up, or maybe it is my laptop because it has been dropped once and tends to now over-heat, but regardless of why, IT IS frustrating. We use Internet for everything. Whether it's to plan our next meal, family outing or schedule an entire vacation, you name it we've used the Internet to do it. Finding restaurants, writing family, mapping out runs, finding design inspiration, movie times, pics of beach houses for rent, urgent how-to instructions, looking up what turtles eat, keeping track of scheduled events, budgets, bank accounts, national news, watching movies on Netflix, editing photos, looking up the longest time someone went without eating food and yet still lived to tell about it, recipes, chords to worship songs, the highest mountain in the world, words and information in online dictionary's, encyclopedias, thesaurus'... I could go on and on and on here... waiting, being satisfied and learning patience... this is a good thing... this is a good thing.
I'm praying and pleading with the Lord that my energy, inspiration, patience, relaxation and going easy on the expectations will continue to reign dominant in our homeschooling endeavor. Last year was absolutely brutal. I had zero energy or motivation as I had a newborn when we started and my energy only waned more as my health was compromised from having a 5th major surgery(c-section), my horror-mones that we're spiralling out of control and a baby who was anything but pleasant 90% of the time. God freely gave grace, sustenance and direction but I will admit, this last year since my 5th baby was born has been a dark dreary one, filled with many fears, feelings of inadequacy, failures, unsteadiness, an unsettled heart and the weight of the unknown...
All the while though in the midst of that overpowering layer of heavy darkness, there would periodically be a break in the thick mass of confusion to let the sparkling goodness of God's light drenched wisdom and peace through... and let me tell you against ALL of the encompassing stark greyness, it's contrasting fiery warmness surrounded, permeated and comforted more than ever before. God used my husband, family, true friends and His Word to speak volumes of grace into my weary heart. We grow through opposition, struggles and being stretched. God is so good to keep us afloat during the tempestuous unsure time of growth. He never leaves. Never forsakes. Completely restores. Always guides. How amazing is our God!?
